Saw Sharks

Order: Pristiophoriformes

Sawsharks resemble sawfish, with a long, toothy, sword-like snout to find and slash their prey. They have long nasal barbels, or mustache-like appendages, extending from the middle of the long snout that are very sensitive. The Sawshark's barbels, together with electro-receptors (ampullae of Lorenzini) on the underside of the saw, are used to sense prey buried in the sand. Sawsharks use the saw to uncover and disable the prey, which they then take into their small mouths.

Photo Gallery

See the sword-like snouts on these unusual sharks

Characteristics of Saw Sharks

# of Species

9

Body shape

Slightly flattened, long and slender. Grows to 5 feet.

Mouth position

Long, blade-like, toothy snout; small, transverse mouth

Anal fin

No

Dorsal Fin

2

Fin spines

No

# of Gill slits

5 (Sixgill Sawshark has 6 gills)

Reproduction

Ovoviviparous. Between 7 and 17 pups per litter.

Unique qualities

Long snout; long nasal barbels

Habitat

Marine habitats, although temperate species inhabit estuaries and shallow bays;

Range from temperate to tropical zones: western Atlantic (Florida, Bahamas, and

Cuba), the southwestern Indian Ocean (off South Africa), and the western Pacific